BIG LITTLE TRUTHS

Liane Moriarty is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Big Little Lies, Apples Never Fall, The Husband’s Secret, Truly Madly Guilty, and Here One Moment; the New York Times bestsellers Nine Perfect Strangers, What Alice Forgot, and The Last Anniversary; The Hypnotist’s Love Story; and Three Wishes. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children.

“Big Little Truths is a deliciously addictive drama that is equal parts juicy, gripping, and impossible to put down. I loved diving back into the lives of these unforgettable characters and watching their stories unfold in ways that were both intriguing and deeply satisfying.” —Freida McFadden, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“What a gossipy, dazzling pleasure it is to be in Liane Moriarty’s mind! She captures perfectly the tender agony of trying to parent teenagers, of being suddenly locked out of the inner life of the child you love more than your own self, even as you are tossed like a sock in the dryer by the rest of your life. The rare sequel that is just as good (and juicy) as the original.” —Rufi Thorpe, author of Margo’s Got Money Troubles

“Warm, funny, shocking, and twisting. Written with such skill and heart, reading Big Little Truths felt like catching up with old friends. I adored it.” —Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark

1. Ten years have passed since the events of Big Little Lies, and the children who once needed their mothers to manage playdates and birthday parties are now teenagers with lives of their own. How have the women changed as their children have grown up? What do you think the novel says about the challenge of letting go as a parent?

2. Madeline finds herself confronting aging from seemingly every direction—her own changing body, her mother’s declining health, Ed’s cancer diagnosis, and her children becoming increasingly independent. How does this stage of life challenge Madeline’s sense of who she is and what she can control?

3. Jane loves Tom but recoils from the idea of having another child, while Tom deeply wants a baby of his own. How did you view their conflict? How much do you think Jane’s traumatic experience surrounding Ziggy’s conception and birth influences what she wants for her future?

4. Bonnie continues to carry tremendous guilt over Perry’s death, even though everyone around her considers what happened an accident. How much of Bonnie’s guilt comes from what she did that night, and how much comes from her own childhood experiences with violence? What did you make of her eventual breakdown?

5. Madeline, Jane, and Celeste are quickly drawn to Melody Montclair, while Renata remains skeptical. What makes Melody so appealing to the other women? Were there moments when you shared Renata’s suspicions, or did the revelation about Melody surprise you?

6. Melody does genuinely helpful things for the women: she gives Madeline a much-needed escape, encourages Jane to make room for herself, helps Celeste understand what may be happening with Mary-Louise, and appears to be a gifted teacher. How did those qualities complicate your reaction to the truth about her? Can someone’s good actions ever be separated from the harm they cause?

7. Melody asks her students to study “Misunderstood Historical Figures”—people who may be very different from what history remembers them for. How does that assignment reflect the novel’s larger questions about how well we really know other people? Who else in the book turns out to be more complicated than they initially appear?

8. The teenagers ultimately uncover the truth about Melody and her husband themselves, including what has been happening to Chloe. What did you make of the reversal between the first book, when the parents were trying to protect their young children, and this story, in which the teenagers possess knowledge their parents don’t? How does Moriarty capture the particular fears and uncertainties of parenting teenagers?

9. Many of the characters are shaped by experiences from years earlier—Jane by Ziggy’s conception, Bonnie by her childhood and Perry’s death, Celeste by her abusive marriage, and even the larger group by the events of Big Little Lies. How does the novel explore the difference between moving forward from trauma and actually leaving it behind?

10. The novel repeatedly plays with the idea that things—and people—aren’t always what they seem, from the severed finger and Melody’s carefully constructed persona to Mary-Louise’s behavior and the final revelation about the car accident. Why do you think Moriarty returns to this idea throughout the story? How does it connect to the title Big Little Truths?

11. The teenagers’ interview with the counselor is woven throughout the novel, gradually revealing both what happened and who these kids have become. What stood out to you about their personalities? In what ways do you see their parents reflected in them—and in what ways are they distinctly their own people?